Former SMU FB'er wins U.S. Senior Am

[Water Pony]

Article published May 18, 2006

Mike Rice comes here after winning U.S. Senior Am

Mike Rice, a retired insurance executive from Houston, has held the spotlight here before. He was runner-up at the 2002 Jim Rivers Senior Cotton States and won the title in 2003.

This year, however, he is a marquee man of much greater proportions because he comes here as the reigning U.S. Senior Amateur champion.

Rice, 65, won that title last summer at The Farm Golf Club in Rocky Face, Ga., becoming the oldest winner in 18 years.

And he did so in dramatic — and unlikely — fashion because of a shoulder injury suffered in the quarterfinal match against Baton Rouge's Gayle Sanchez.

"It was on my second shot at 17 from a downhill lie. When I swung, I felt a sudden sharp pain in my left shoulder (torn ligaments)," he said.

"Luckily, I won that hole to close out the match there. But I had a decision to make about going on into the semifinals that afternoon," Rice said.

"The thing was, I had played in six of these events and had never gotten past the field of 16. Now I was in the semis so I just said I was going to try."

He could swing only halfway up on his backswing and halfway up on the follow through.

Where he normally hit a 3-wood 245 yards, he could only hit it 200 with the injury.

Still, Rice — who maybe was calling on his SMU football background for some good old "play in pain" grit — won his semifinal match easily.

"It wasn't that I played well, my opponent just had a bad round," said Rice, who wrapped the match up in 12 holes.

Suddenly Mike was in the finals. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime chance so I was definitely going to try. But I faced the defending champion (Mark Bemowski of Mukwonago, Wis.) and knew it would be tough.

Here's a brief account of the final match as it appeared in last fall's USGA Magazine:

"Bemowski, who jumped out to a 2-up lead after seven holes, looked poised to become the first repeat champion since Bill Campbell in 1979-1980.

"But Rice, riding a steady putter, refused to wilt. He made the match's first birdie on the par-5 12th to cut his deficit to 1-down, then squared the match at 14 when Bemowski hit his approach shot into a hazard.

"At the short par-5 15th, Rice rolled in a clutch 14-footer for par and a halve. A hole later, Bemowski retook a 1-up lead, jamming a wedge shot to within 12 inches for a conceded birdie.

"But Rice's par at 17 squared the match once again. At the uphill, par-4 18th, Bemowski left himself 4 feet for par and missed it. Rice had 2½ feet to win and he made it."

Speaking from his Houston home earlier this week, Mike said, "I had two qualifying rounds and six matches, but I was never anxious until I faced that last short putt. I couldn't help but think that I had a chance to win the U.S. Senior Amateur and it was nerve racking.

"But I told myself I had made putts this short countless times before. My hands were shaking, but it went in. That's all that counts," he said.

So today Mike starts his journey toward a second Senior Cotton States title with the knowledge (and comfort) that he has nothing else to prove — to himself or anybody else.

"I'm feeling fine physically now and look forward to playing. I had to lay off last fall. I started back in December and have played in a few tournaments since then.

"But the (shoulder) pain is gone and I am ready for the Cotton States.

"Jim Rivers was a very good friend and when I couldn't return last year (because of his granddaughter's high school graduation) I told Debbie I would be back this year.

"It's a great tournament and the hospitality is wonderful. My wife Becky and I always enjoy being in Monroe," he said.

Rice's title match here in 2003 took three extra holes against former Monroe-Neville product Van Stewart.

"It was a great match. Van played awfully well that year and I'll never forget the long (35-feet) breaking putt he made on our second playoff hole," laughed Rice.

But it is also easy to remember that Rice followed that dramatic birdie putt by calmly draining an 8-footer of his own to stay alive.

Mike then won the title on the next hole.

We didn't know it at the time, but that steady, calm, poised demeanor would carry Mike Rice to a U.S. Senior Amateur title two years later.

[HixsontoLeVias]

...SMU grad WON Sr. US Am....posted last year, but thanks for the update.....long live Don Addington.